PLD Space vs Rocket Lab
Rocket Lab
We open access to space to improve life on Earth
1568 employees · est. 2006 · Long Beach, United States
Rocket Lab is the older company (2011 vs 2006); Rocket Lab is the larger of the two.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Metric | PLD Space | Rocket Lab |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | ||
| Founded | 2011 | 2006 older |
| Headquarters | ||
| Headquarters | Elche, Spain | Long Beach, United States |
| Employees | ||
| Employees | 524 | 1568 larger |
| Industry | ||
| Industry | Manufacturing, Space | Manufacturing, Space |
| Funding Stage | ||
| Funding Stage | Corporate | Corporate |
| Total Funding | ||
| Total Funding | $659.96M | $10.36B |
| Funding Rounds | ||
| Funding Rounds | 19 | 14 |
| Services | ||
| Services | Reusable launch vehicles, Satellite launch services, Crewed and cargo space missions, Interplanetary transportation | dedicated and rideshare launch options, custom spacecraft design and manufacturing, satellite subsystems and components, mission control and ground software solutions, hypersonic suborbital test launches |
| Target Customers | ||
| Target Customers | Space agencies, Satellite operators, Research institutions, Commercial space companies | commercial satellite operators, government satellite operators, space agencies, telecommunications companies, research institutions |
| Taxonomy | ||
| Taxonomy | Space Launch TechnologiesPrivate Rocket LaunchSatellite Launch ServiceSuborbital Launch ServicesOrbital Launch ServicesSpace Accessibility +5 | Space AccessOrbital RocketsHypersonic TechnologySatellite ConstellationsMission ServicesElectron Launch Vehicle +9 |
| Website | ||
| Website | pldspace.com | rocketlabusa.com |
About PLD Space
PLD Space, founded in 2011 and headquartered in Spain, is a pioneering entity in the Manufacturing and Space sectors. Known as "The Launcher Company", they have carved out a niche in space launch technologies. Notably, they hold the distinction of being the first to launch a private rocket in Europe...
About Rocket Lab
Rocket Lab is a pioneering company in the Manufacturing and Space industries, dedicated to "opening access to space to improve life on Earth." Founded in 2006, this United States-headquartered company specializes in building, launching, and operating rockets and spacecraft tailored for global client...
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Compiled from the BounceWatch company index. We last looked at PLD Space on 15 Sep 2026, and Rocket Lab on 2 May 2026. Where a field is blank here, it means we have not recorded it — not that the answer is zero. How we source and date this.
